When stacked or handled, a container can experience forces or shocks in the side-to-side or front-to-back (“horizontal”) direction or in the up or down (“vertical”) direction. Fragile articles stored in the container, such as circuit boards, can be damaged as a result of forces or shocks. Thus, there is a need to protect articles stored in the container from forces and shocks.
To protect articles, a cellular structure can be placed in the interior of a container, such as the exemplary cellular structure shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the cellular structure of FIG. 1 placed within a container. A number of articles may be placed in the shown cellular structure; typically, one article per cell. Generally, articles are not placed in the outer cells. The outer cells serve to protect articles in the inner cells from horizontal forces or shocks. The cellular structure by itself, however, does not provide protection from vertical forces or shocks.
In order to protect the contents from vertical forces and shocks, a polymer foam cushion may be employed at the top or the bottom of the container. The cellular structure shown in FIGS. 1–2 has a recessed rectangular area that is adapted to receive a rectangular polymer foam cushion, such as the one shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows, in cross-section, the container and cellular structure of FIGS. 1–2 which additionally includes the polymer foam cushion of FIG. 3. Polymer foam, however, is expensive. In addition, recycling polymer foam is complicated and recycling facilities are not always available. Further, containers that employ polymer foam cushions may be difficult to assemble.
FIGS. 5–6 show another method for protecting the contents of a container from vertical forces and shocks. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary folded corrugated board that may be employed inside a container. FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a container having a pair of folded corrugated boards. The dashed line represents one or more articles in the container. Each folded corrugated board includes a vertical section parallel to a container wall that remains stationary, an end section that projects over the article at an angle above the horizontal, and a fold or score at the junction of the two sections. When the lid experiences a vertical force or shock, the end section bends inward about the fold providing cushioning. As the shown folded corrugated board bends down, however, the end section can contact the articles in the container. This can result in the force or shock being transferred directly to the articles. Moreover, containers that employ folded corrugated board may be difficult to assemble.
Accordingly, there is a need for shock absorbing container in which articles packaged within the container are protected from vertical forces and shocks.